Dealers, Distributors and other Channel Relationships

By partnering with other leading companies to develop and market innovative products and services, 3M can extend market reach, increase revenue streams and reduce costs. For both parties to benefit, it is important that the customer understands the relationship between 3M and the channel partner.

When looking at any communication with a third-party relationship, you should easily be able to answer this question.

Why does this matter? Because if there is a problem or question, customers need to understand who is responsible and who can help them. Also, a clear relationship is critical to protecting 3M’s brand assets. Whether you come from a 3M business or from a third-party affiliated company, we’ve provided standards, examples and tools to guide the creation of your communications.

Third-Party Communications Leveraging 3M

If you are an authorized affiliate who wants to leverage your relationship with 3M, this section is for you. You may only use the 3M logo as described in this document.

Make Your Identity the Most Prominent

The examples and standards outlined here are designed to make it easy for customers to tell that your communications are from you — not from 3M. While it is beneficial to you, to 3M and to your customer to show your relationship with 3M, your identity should be the most prominent.

Your brand, company name or logo should be more visible than 3M’s. To make sure of this, show your company’s logo at least 2 times the M-height of the 3M logo, and ideally 3 or 4 times the M-height. Usually, your logo should be 2 times the height of the 3M authorized relationship artwork, as shown in the example below.

Explain Your Affiliation with 3M

Always clarify your relationship to 3M when you use the 3M logo. The text that describes this relationship should appear stacked underneath the 3M logo, as shown in the artwork below. (Retailers are exempt from this requirement).

Set the descriptive text in 3M Circular Book, uppercase and lowercase. Show the descriptive text in black on white or light backgrounds and in white on dark backgrounds. Use 3M Red for the 3M logo whenever possible. Use black for the 3M logo only when one-color reproduction in required.

The following are some of the descriptive phrases you might use. The final selection is determined by the legal arrangements you have with 3M:

Authorized Distributor

Authorized Fabricator

Authorized Applicator

Approved Converter

Approved Sealer

Manufacturer's Representative

Indicate the 3M products or services that you represent. However, do not use a 3M business unit designator, such as a division, department or project.

Even if you represent more than one 3M business or product, there should be only one 3M logo displayed or linked to a category in your communications.

Use of the tagline: 3M Science. Applied to Life™

The 3M tagline is used to tell the 3M story and is typically not meant to represent 3M in mixed company like in co-branding. It can be used when the event or touchpoint is exclusively 3M.

When the tagline can be used

In areas or applications where 3M is the host

In a 100% dedicated space for 3M branding by a channel or retailer host

an ad space

a web page or catalog page/section dedicated to 3M

a point-of-sale area or display

When 3M is a title sponsor of an event

When the tagline should not be used

On packaging of any kind

When 3M is a basic or co-sponsor sponsor of an event

When 3M is in a group of other companies or brands as featured by a retailer

On business cards, stationery, signage or vehicles of any other company